Bhubaneswar: Raising the distress sale of tomatoes and other vegetables in State, Opposition Congress today created pandemonium in the Assembly and demanded reply from chief minister and concerned minister on the issue. Unable to run the House, Speaker Niranjan Pujari was forced to adjourn it twice.

Soon after the House assembled for the day, Congress MLAs raised the farmers’ protest in Keonjhar over distress sale of tomatoes in absence of required number of vegetable processing unit and cold storages. They rushed to the well of the House and shouted slogan against the government. The members of the Opposition bench also alleged that the farmers had also faced similar situation in Rayagada and Bargarh district earlier.

Demanding adequate compensation for the vegetable growers, the legislators demanded clarification from concerned minister. Some of them tried to climb the Speaker’s podium. The law makers of Congress party further alleged that the financial backbone of farmers has been broken down post demonetisation.

Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes first and the House was adjourned till 3pm.